This invention relates to eyewear, and especially eyewear used for safety and/or activities such as sports.
Eyewear for safety applications in industrial use are used to protect a user's eyes. Such eyewear is usually designed to fit relatively closely to a user's face, so that noxious gas, liquid, particles, contaminants, and the like, do not touch or affect a user's eye(s). Similarly, masks are often required as well, to protect a user's face as well as to filter and remove such contaminants from the air.
Safety glasses or eyewear are often designed and formed such that they are bulky and heavy to wear. Some are tight-fitting and uncomfortable as well, such as goggles or masks. In addition, such eyewear is often provided as in only a few sizes which do not fit every user's face well. In addition, masks often need to overlap the eyewear, or, alternatively, the eyewear needs to overlap the mask. This results in a poor fit and possible introduction of contaminants into both the eyewear and the mask. Further, this combination is often uncomfortable and limits vision and/or breathing. This results in poor compliance in users donning and wearing the eyewear with a mask.
Therefore, safety eyewear which is lightweight, adjustable and provides a compatible fit against a mask, as well as a mask which provides a compatible fit against safety eyewear would be desirable. Such eyewear desirably provide comfortable and adequate protection for a user's eyes while having an adapter built into the eyewear. Alternatively, such an adapter may be provided separately. In addition, it would be desirable to have a mask which has features which permit it to easily couple to safety eyewear without either the eyewear or the mask having significant and uncomfortable overlap. Such eyewear and masks desirably would provide protection for a user's eyes while providing design features which makes the eyewear more attractive to wear.
Definitions
As used herein, the term “glasses” or “eyewear” refers to eyeglasses, goggles, or other objects worn over the eyes.
As used herein, the terms “ear piece” or “ear pieces” refers to The portion of glasses or eyewear which extends from a lens and/or frame to extend over and/or about a portion of a user's ear to assist in holding the glasses or eyewear on a user's head.
As used herein, the phrase “custom fit” refers to an item that is provided or made in a proper size, shape and fit for the individual, particularly, to fit the contours of a certain area of an individual's body (For example, “These shoes were made to fit my feet very well.”).
As used herein, the term “contour” refers to at least a portion of an item which is shaped to fit the outline or form of something (Example, “A contour sheet”).
As used herein, the term “hinge” or “hinges” refers to a jointed or flexible device that connects and permits pivoting or turning of a part to a stationary component. Hinges include, but are not limited to, metal pivotable connectors, such as those used to fasten a door to frame, and living hinges. Living hinges may be constructed from plastic and formed integrally between two members. A living hinge permits pivotable movement of one member in relation to another connected member.
As used herein, the terms “contaminate”, “contaminant” and/or “contamination” mean to make unclean or impure by contact. Such contact may be by liquid, solid and/or gas. For example, but not by way of limitation, mud that befouls shoes; noxious fumes that foul the air; bodily fluids that foul clean diapers.
As used herein, the term “fasteners” means devices that fasten, join, connect, secure, hold, or clamp components together. Fasteners include, but are not limited to, screws, nuts and bolts, rivets, snap-fits, tacks, nails, loop fasteners, and interlocking male/female connectors, such as fishhook connectors, a fish hook connector includes a male portion with a protrusion on its circumference. Inserting the male portion into the female portion substantially permanently locks the two portions together.
As used herein, the term “couple” includes, but is not limited to, joining, connecting, fastening, linking, or associating two things integrally or interstitially together.
As used herein, the term “configure” or “configuration” means to design, arrange, set up, or shape with a view to specific applications or uses. For example: a military vehicle that was configured for rough terrain; configured the computer by setting the system's parameters.
As used herein, the term “substantially” refers to something which is done to a great extent or degree; a significant or great amount; for example, as used herein “substantially” as applied to “substantially” covered means that a thing is at least 90% covered.
As used herein, the term “alignment” refers to the spatial property possessed by an arrangement or position of things in a straight line or in parallel lines.
As used herein, the terms “orientation” or “position” used interchangeably herein refer to the spatial property of a place where or way in which something is situated; for example, “the position of the hands on the clock.”
As used herein, the term “about” refers to an amount that is plus or minus 10 percent of a stated or implied range.
As used herein, the term “resilient” and “resiliency” refers to the physical property of an object and/or a material that can return to its original shape or position after deformation that does not exceed its elastic limit.
As used herein, the term “mask” refers to any type of mask or respirator known to be used or worn by human users.
These terms may be defined with additional language in the remaining portions of the specification.